Future of South African Runner Semenya Unclear

A planned news conference with South African runner Caster Semenya was abruptly canceled Thursday, after conflicting reports on whether athletics officials have resolved a dispute about her gender.

A South African television report said the International Association of Athletics Federations had cleared Semenya to compete against other women.

But a statement from the IAAF said the "procedure" for Semenya's case has not yet been completed and that any results must remain confidential.

The 19-year-old Semenya has not run competitively since winning the 800-meter title at the world championships in Berlin last August. The South African's dramatic improvement in times and muscular build has led to debate about her sexual identity.

Semenya had been due to appear in Johannesburg Thursday with South African Sports Minister Mkahenkesi Stofile. The public relations company organizing the news conference said they had been told to cancel it but were not given a reason by the sports ministry.

The IAAF, which is jointly handling the case with Semenya's advisers, said it would disclose official results only after its process had ended.